Metal sheet folding machine.



E. M. & J. F. MAXWELL. METAL SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH 1.12., WASHINGTON. D. c.

1*.Mubcuuell E. M. &'J. F. MAXWELL.

METAL SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

0O 1 .9 1 0O 1 W N d 6 Lb n W a P 9 1 9 1 1 P E S D E L I F N 0 I T A O T. L P P A 8 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

um [memo xuueH COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co WASHINGTON. n. c.

E. M. & J. F. MAXWELL.

METAL SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0]. WASHINGTON, D. c.

ERASTUS M. MAXWELL AND JAMES F. MAXWELL, 0F CARDINAL, VIRGINIA.

METAL-SHEET-FOLDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed September 7, 1912. Serial No. 719,184.

. tains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to sheet folding m achines, and it more particularly relatesto a machine for folding metal sheets, and constitutes' a folding mechanism, in cooperative relation with the automatic feeding and rolling machine, for which we made application for Letters Patentfo'n" August 20, 1912, said application-having received the Serial #716,065; certain minor changes being made in said automatic feeding and rolling machine, in order to perfect the cooperative relation thereof with the folding mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which is adapted to receive a'sheet of metalfrom the rolling mechanism and to fold the same evenly on its median liner i ,7

Another object of the invention'is to'provide means for clamping the folded sheet for securely holding it in its initial folded position while being pressed into permanent folded position. 7 w 7 Another object ofthe invention is to pro vicle a stop or gage for limiting the movement of the metal sheet and for evening the slightly modifiedQ Fig.9 is a top plan view of the folding mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail sectional view of a portion of the machine frame and bed and of the clamping jaws. Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail sectional view of a clutch retaining mechanism. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the metal sheet in its initial folded position and of the initial folder member bearing thereon, and, Fig. 7 is a'somewhat enlarged view of the metal sheet in its complete or final folded position upon the bed of the machine. 7

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate correspondingparts throughout the several views,

the main frame of the machine is designated 10, the bed or table 11, and the apron or projection 12; which latter constitutes a. portion of the table and of the frame which overhangs the dischargeend of the saidautomatic feeding and rollingmechanism. This automatic feeding and rolling mecha nism difiers from the one which is disclosed in our previousapplication as follows: In lieu of the stationary stop or gage upon the movable tables 13, we provide a movable stop or gage 14, pivotally mounted at 15 in a bearing 16, mounted upon the arm 17. This arm is secured on a rock shaft 18 which is adapted to be actuated by proper means '(not shown in this application), for causing 'the arms 17 to swing outward and carry the tables 13 therewith, so as to drop the sheet of metal onto the table 19; it being understood, as described in the previous application, that themembers 13, 17 and 18 are in duplicate. A toothed wheel 20 is formed integrallywithra cam 21 and pivotally mounted u on one of the arms 17. A sorin 22 is secured on one of the movable tables 13, said spring being provided with an upstanding retaining lug 23 and with an upstanding contacting 24. The lower end of the stop 14 is engaged by the lug 23 and thereby retained in fixed position, so that the sheet of metal will be stopped thereby and retained on the movable tables until said tables sep arate for dropping it upon the table 19. However, when the plate has been passed through the rolls of the rolling mechanism a suificient number of times, it is desirable that. the same shall pass from the rolling mechanism onto the folding mechanism, and this is accomplished by means of the wheel 20 and cam'21, as follows: Each time the arm 17 swings outward, it engages with a pawl 25, thereby rotating the wheel to the extent of one tooth thereof. After the wheel has been partially and repeatedly rotated, until a complete revolution thereof has been made, the cam 21 depresses the lug 2st and carries the spring 23 out of engagement with the stop 14, so that when the p ate again comes into contact with the stop 14, the latter swings upon its pivot and allows the plate to pass from the tables 13 onto the apron 19.-

The folding mechanism is provided with a main shaft journaled in the frame 10 and adapted to be thrown in and out of gear with adriver sh ft 31, through the medium of a clutch member 32 slidably seated upon said driver shaft and adapted to be held in engagement with a clutch member 33 by means of a spring 34. The clutch member 33 is secured on the shaft 30, mutilated gear wheels 35 and 36 being also secured upon the shaft 30 and adapted to be rotated therewith. The clutch member-32 is provided with a cam groove 37, in which a roller 38 has relative movement, said roller being journaled on an end of a retaining lever 3.9, pivoted at 40 to a bracket 41.; said bracket being secured on the frame 10, the

. bracket ll (see Fig-5) is provided with an upstanding arm L2, and to this arm is piv otallyconnected a lever 43 having a bolt 44: pivotally connected thereto at &5. lhe bracket is provided with an apertured-guide lug 46 and with a horizontally projecting arm 47 on which an apertnred end of the le ver 39 has sliding movement for bringing the aperture 48 into and out of alinement or registration with the bolt 14:, as the member 32 rotates. Upon an end of a rock shaft 4:9

is secured cam 50, and this shaft l9 also carries a trip arm 51, which extends through a slot 52 in the stop 28, projecting considerably beyond the working surface of thestop when there is no metal sheet in contact therewith. However, when the metal sheet moves into contact with the stop 28, it pushes the lever 51 into the position shown, thereby rocking the shaft 29 and cam 50, and causing the latter to bear upon the contiguous end of the lever d3, so as to raise the bolt 44: out of engagement with the aperture 48, and thus allowing the member 32 to be pushed by the spring 3% into engagement with the clutch member 33; so that, the shaft 30 and its adjuncts'which have been temporarily. dormant, are now caused to ro tate and to actuate the folding and. pressing mechanisms hereinafter described. 7

All ofthe sheets to befolded are not exactly, though approximately, of the same length and width, and we have provided for folding sheets of slightly varying lengths exactly on their median line, by the following mechanism, viz: At each side of the table 11, at a distance from the stop 28 approximately equal to one-half of the lengthsof the sheets to be folded, is provided a pair of folder fingers 53 which are formed on the ends of folder levers 54 and 54 respectively; said folder levers being pivoted to the frame at and 55 respectively. 'Leafsprings 56 and 56 respectively engage with said folder levers for holding them out, of operative position. Lugs 57 are formed on the folder levers, and, cams 58 are carried by the wheels and 36 into the position shown.

A. shaft 59 is jonrnaled in the'frame and carries a mutilated gear wheel 60 and a pair of arms 61 which are integrally unitedby a folder bar 62. This folder bar lies normally below the level of the table 11, said table being depressed at 63 for the reception thereof, so that the plate 26 will lie over the folder arms and under the folder fingers when in position to be folded. A shaft ea is journa-led in the frame and carries a gearwheel'65 in position to be alternately in and out of mesh with the mutilated gear wheel 85. Arms 66 are fixed on the shaft 6%, arms 67 being loosely mounted on the shaft 64 in juxtaposition to the arms 66. The arms 67 carry a curved plate 68 which, together withthe arms 66 and 67 and their adjuncts, constitutes apusher or evener, for forcing the adjacent edges of the folded sheet against the stop member: 28-, for assuring perfect registration-of said adjacent edges. A compression spring 69 is seated between the plate 68 and one of the arms 66, a bolt beingpivotally connected to said plate and extending through an aperture in the arm 66 for retaining said plate and-said arm in adjusted position against the action of the spring 69; said bolt 70 being slidable through the aperture of the arm 66, so that the spring 69 may be-compressed when undue pressure is brought] to bear on the plate 68.

Pivoted' at 71,to the-frame I0, is a detent .72 comprising a detaininglug 72 and a contact lug 73, said contact lug being in the path of a cam 74 which is foriied on thegear wheel 36 and adapted to impinge upon the lug 73 for pushing it into operative po sition over one of the arms 61 for temporarily detaining it in position upon the primarily folded sheet of metal. A spring 75 bears upon a lug of the detent 72, for holding it out of operative position after the lug 73 has been released from contact with the cam 74, whereupon, the arms 61 and bar 62 are returned to their initial position, as shown, by means of a helical spring 7 6, said spring having one end abutting against the under side of the table 11, its other end pressing upon the arm 61.

The members 66 and 68 areadapted to be swung into substantially vertical position, through the medium of the wheel and the mutilated gear wheel 35, the teeth of the latter engaging with the teeth of the gear wheel 65 and rotating it through approximately ninety degrees, whereupon, the toothless portion of the mutilated gear wheel 35 rotates into juxtaposition with the gear wheel 65 and releases its engagement with the latter, whereupon, the shaft 64 and its adjuncts are returned to the'initial position shown, by means of the helical spring 77; one end of said spring being engaged with an aperture in the frame 10 and its other end bearing upon one of the arms 66.

It will be seen that the gear member 36 is provided with two sets of gear teeth, or substantially comprises a pair of mutilated gears 36 and 36*, the latter meshing with ver arm being connected with the crank arm .80, through the medium of a link 86, universal joints 87 connecting-the arms 80 and with the link 86, so that the presser 82 will be moved alternately into horizontal and approximately vertical position when the wheel 79 is rotated.

In order that the sheet may be straightened with relation to the bed 11 and the folding mechanism, we provide a pusher lever 88 having a pusher lug 89, said lever be ing pivoted to the frame at 90 and loosely connected to'the lever54 at 91, so that when the finger 53 is pushed into operative position over the sheet, the lug 89 is simultaneously pushed against the adjacent edge of the sheet, so as to push the opposite edge thereof against a curved shoulder 92 and thereby swing the plate into contact with the rectilinear portion 93 of the shoulder.

Before pressing down the initially folded sheet into finished position, (see Fig. 7), it is desired to clamp the adjacent edges of the initially folded sheet. for preventing distortion thereof during the pressing operation, and for this purpose we provide a clamping mechanism (see Fig. 4:) which comprises a clamping aw 94, pivotally connected to the frame 10, and a. clamping jaw 95, also pivotally connected to the frame, said clamping jaws being mounted upon separate pivots 96 and 97 respectively. The jaw is provided with a lever arm 95, said arm being connected with an end of a lever 98, through the medium of a link 99,

pivotally connected to the frame at 101 and extends between. the frame and the gear member 36, into the path of a cam 102. As the shaft 30 rotates, it causes the cam 102 to impinge upon the free end of the lever 98 and presses it downward, thereby pressing the link 99 and the arm 95 upward and bringing the jaws 94 and 95 into proximity, so as to clamp the initially folded sheet therebetween. The table or bed 11 is provided with a recess 11 in which the jaw 94:

is seated, said jaw being retained by gravity, normally below the level of the table, so as to avoid accidental contact of the plate therewith. Said jaw is provided with an arm 94 which is in contact with a lug 95 formed on the jaw 95. When the jaw 95 is inits open position, as shown, the lug 95 moves into such relation with the arm 94 as to allow the latter to ascend slightly; but when the jaws are brought into closed position, the lug 95 presses the arm 94 downward and causes the jaw 94 to raise its clamping surface on a level with the table top.

After the sheet has been pressed into finished position (see Fig. 7), it is desired to automatically raise the stop 28; and for this purpose, we provide the stop with rack teeth 28 and mount a toothed segment 103 in engagement with the rack teeth; said toothed segment being mounted on a shaft .10 1, journaled in bearings 105 of the frame. The shaft 104- has an arm 106 mounted and universal jointslOO. The lever 98 is ice thereon, said arm being connected with a lever 107, through the medium of a link 108 and universal joints 109; said lever 107 being pivoted at 110'to the frame and having its free end extended into the path of a cam 111, mounted to rotate with the shaft 80 and wheel 35. It will be seen, that as the shaft 30 rotates, the cam 111 will be caused to impinge upon the under surface of the lever 107, at its free end, thereby raising said free end and lowering its opposite end' together with the link 108, so as to rock the shaft 104 and raise the stop 28, through the medium of the toothed segment 103.

The operation of the device is as follows: After the sheet of metal has repeatedly passed through the rolls (not shown) until the stop lt is released, as previously de scribed, said sheet will pass from the rolls into forceful contact with the stop 1 and cause it to swing outward and upward, while the plate resumes its travel onto the bed 11 of the folding mechanism, and being caught between the feed rollers 27, said plate is forced by said rollers into proximity with the stop 28, and when released from the rollers, said plate is carried by its momentum into force-- ful contact with the trip arm 51, thereby releasing the clutch member 32, and starting the gear members 35 and 36 to rotate (as 

